Opposition Parties Blocked Rustaveli Avenue in front of the Parliament

Aleksi Bezhanishvili

On April 15, opposition parties blocked the Rustaveli Avenue in front of the parliament of Georgia. Almost every member of the non-parliamentary opposition parties took part in the protest demonstration. They had two main requests: 1. Government shall stop political persecution of citizens; 2. People imprisoned on political grounds shall be released from April 16 in accordance to the law. Unless their requests are satisfied, the demonstrations will become larger-scaled and permanent.

One of the opposition leaders Eka Beselia said problem of arbitrary detainees should unify every political power. She said many human rights organizations and almost every opposition parties join their appeal.

Members of the parliamentary opposition – Jondi Baghaturia and Dimitri Lortkipanidze also participated in the demonstration. Manana Archvadze – Gamsakhurdia (widow of the late president of Georgia) and her supporters also took part in it.

Representative of the National Council Kakha Kukava said the inmates have been on hunger-strike in prisons for 10 days already. Opposition activist Melor Vachnadze is on hunger-strike too; he was arbitrarily detained.

Jondi Baghaturia said it is shameful to have political prisoners in the 21st century in Georgia. “There are many arbitrary detainees in Georgia; although new custodies are being built, inmates do not have enough beds.”

Co-chairperson of the Alliance for Georgia Sozar Subari said there are political prisoners in the country and here people are persecuted on political grounds. At the same time, it is the problem in regard which every opposition parties have common idea and stand together in solidarity demonstration. He said, the National Movement started politically grounded persecution by firing people from jobs soon after they came into the government. Then they started to arrest people on political grounds.

The protest rally finished in the evening. The organizer of the event Eka Beselia said the opposition leaders agreed to announce concrete plan about the next demonstration on Monday. She said the more people joined the demonstration than they expected. Beselia said one of the most important for them was the character and not the scope of the demonstration.

“Lawyers are also persecuted on political grounds,” said the chairperson of the Bar Association of Georgia Zaza Khataishvili. He said lawyers Natia Siradze and Mari Ivelashvili were detained because they protected the political prisoners. Khatiashvili said the attorneys appealed to international courts against the government and informed them about the situation and existence of arbitrary prisoners in Georgia.

Zaza Khataishvili called upon people of every profession to join their protest in defense of arbitrary detainees.

On April 16, trial of Eka Beselia’s family members is scheduled at the Kutaisi Appeal Court. The final judgment will be announced there.

Beselia said if the government does not satisfy their request - release of political prisoners, they will start larger-scaled and permanent demonstrations.

Prepared based on the Interpresnews